Prince Harry's Ex Cressida Bonas Honors Late Sister Pandora in New Tribute: 'Simply the Best'

Mar. 15, 2025

(Left) Cressida Bonas arrives for a performance of “The Snowman” at The Peacock Theatre in London on Nov. 18, 2023; (Right) Pandora Cooper Key at the TCA Ibizan Art Gala 2022 benefitting Teen Cancer America and Ibiza and Formentera Against Cancer in Ibiza, Spain on Aug. 16, 2022.Photo:Jo Hale/WireImage; David M. Benett/Getty

Cressida Bonas arrives for the performance of “The Snowman” at The Peacock Theatre on November 18, 2023 in London, England. Pandora Cooper Key and Deliciously Sorted Founder and CEO Serena Cook attend the TCA Ibizan Art Gala 2022 hosted by Darren Strowger and Robbie Furze in aid of Teen Cancer America

Jo Hale/WireImage; David M. Benett/Getty

Prince Harry’s ex-girlfriend Cressida Bonas is remembering her late sister Pandora with love.

On Nov. 17,The Sunday Times Stylepublished a first-person editorial Cressida wrote about her beloved half-sister Pandora Cooper Key, who died in July at age 51. Pandora had Li-Fraumeni syndrome, a rare hereditary syndrome that can lead to an increased risk of several types of cancer, according to theAmerican Cancer Society, and was first diagnosed with cancer at age 26.

“A piece I wrote about my sister Pandora is in@theststyletoday,” Cressida wrote onInstagramon Nov. 17 below a photo of the story in the magazine. “Life will never be the same without her, and sometimes it feels like she’s just gone on holiday, until I realize she’s not coming back. My sister gave so much love, she listened, she made people laugh and she was hugely loved In return. I hold onto the memories and the many things she taught me. I miss her. She was simply the best.”

The actress and model added a star emoji and linked her late sister’s Instagram handle, thankingThe Timesand tagging charities The George Pantziarka TP53 Trust, which supports families navigating Li-Fraumeni Syndrome and Sarcoma UK, the national charity focused on a form of cancer that Pandora had.

Cressida affectionately celebrated her sister in the essay, calling her the “leader of our pack” of their large family and recounting how their 15-year age gap disappeared in adulthood “as we became two loving friends.” Pandora was a passionate ceramicist and former handbag designer for Vivienne Westwood, and Cressida said she faced Paget’s disease, sarcoma, “recurring episodes of cancer,” seizures and life-threatening infections with “courage, determination and humor.”

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“Her boys are teenagers and I’m just starting out with an almost two-year-old, so she had already walked the path that I’m beginning,” she added. “I have a journal filled with scribbles and notes from conversations with my sisters. On one page, I had written down something Pandora said just after I’d given birth to a boy: ‘No matter what, they’ll always love and want to protect their mums.’ "

source: people.com